the mobile revolution: using technology to reach the poor with microfinance

12010 Toronto Microfinance Conference

The Mobile Revolution: Using Technology toReach the Poor with Microfinance

The Mobile RevolutionOne View of its Power in Microfinance

by Martha DeaconFounder and CEO

The Townships Project

22010 Toronto Microfinance Conference

The Mobile Revolution: Using Technology to Reach the Poor with Microfinance

Four Wheel DriveMobile

2 October 2010

32010 Toronto Microfinance Conference

The Mobile Revolution: Using Technology toReach the Poor with Microfinance

The Unicycle

Microfinance

Limitations:1) 20% max voluntary;

80% necessity2) “whack-a-mole”

jealousy;3) Too many doing the

same thing4) Building assets &

infrastructure

42010 Toronto Microfinance Conference

The Mobile Revolution: Using Technology toReach the Poor with Microfinance

The Bicycle

Asset-BasedCommunity Development

Let’s use what we have to get what we want

52010 Toronto Microfinance Conference

The Mobile Revolution: Using Technology toReach the Poor with Microfinance

The Three-Wheeler

Third Wheel:

Corporate Social Investment/Enterprise Development

The ABCD’d community seeks additional resources…

62010 Toronto Microfinance Conference

The Mobile Revolution: Using Technology toReach the Poor with Microfinance

Four- WheelDrive

Fourth Wheel:

Microfranchising and other commercial solutions

Potential to systematize, replicate and brand a tiny business

72010 Toronto Microfinance Conference

The Mobile Revolution: Using Technology toReach the Poor with Microfinance

Mobile

• Market information• Banking services

• Money transfer• Repayments• Savings

• Inventory restocking • Accounting• Training• Mentoring

82010 Toronto Microfinance Conference

The Mobile Revolution: Using Technology toReach the Poor with Microfinance

• Foundation is ABCD –a motivated community

• Supported by Microfinance• & Corporate Social Investment• & Microfranchising and other commercial solutions• & Mobile Technology …

Four Wheel Drive Mobile!

92010 Toronto Microfinance Conference

The Mobile Revolution: Using Technology toReach the Poor with Microfinance

Help make it happen!

Four Wheel Drive Mobile!

102010 Toronto Microfinance Conference

The Mobile Revolution: Using Technology toReach the Poor with Microfinance

August 31 – September 2, 2011Khayelitsha and Cape Town, South Africa

(O.R. Tambo Recreation Centre & UCT Graduate School of Business)

First International Microfranchising

(and other commercial solutions)

Trade Show and Conference

112010 Toronto Microfinance Conference

The Mobile Revolution: Using Technology toReach the Poor with Microfinance

Thank you!

www.thetownshipsproject.orgWorking in South Africa; headquartered in Toronto